Farrell On The Double As Ireland U-20 Men Make Winning Start

Debutant Paidi Farrell pounced for tries early in each half as the Ireland Under-20 Men’s team (sponsored by PwC) overcame Georgia 35-28 in their World Rugby U-20 Championship opener in sweltering Calvisano.

2025 WORLD RUGBY UNDER-20 MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP POOL C:

Sunday, June 29 – –

IRELAND UNDER-20s 35 GEORGIA UNDER-20s 28, Stadio San Michele, Calvisano
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Paidi Farrell 2, Henry Walker, Mahon Ronan, Charlie Molony; Cons: Tom Wood 2; Pens: Tom Wood 2
Georgia: Tries: Gagui Margvelashvili, Giorgi Spanderashvili 2, Shota Kheladze; Cons: Luka Takaishvili 4
HT: Ireland 18 Georgia 14

This was a tough opening assignment for Neil Doak’s youngsters – just ask the class of 2024 who needed a late Finn Treacy try to beat Georgia – and they had eight-point leads twice cut back to the minimum margin during the first half.

Tom Wood kicked two penalties to add to well-finished tries from Farrell and Henry Walker, as Ireland led 18-14 at half-time. Opposing props Alex Mullan and Bachuki Baratashvili were both sin-binned before the break.

Farrell and Giorgi Spanderashvili completed their braces during the third quarter, but Doak’s side boxed clever to give themselves some breahthing space when Mahon Ronan and Charlie Molony crossed in quick succession to make it 35-21.

The bonus point was just reward for Ireland’s fluidity in attack, and their defence was tested again during the closing stages. They held up their powerful opponents from two mauls, but a last-minute effort from replacement Shota Kheladze garnered two bonus points for Georgia.

Tournament hosts Italy are Ireland’s next opponents in Viadana on Friday (kick-off 8.30pm local time/7.30pm Irish time), with Éanna McCarthy and his team-mates aiming to reverse the result from the recent U-20 Six Nations when they suffered a 15-12 defeat.

Highlights

 

TIME LINE: 2 minutes – Ireland try: Paidi Farrell – 5-0; conversion: missed by Tom Wood – 5-0; 10 mins – Ireland penalty: Tom Wood – 8-0; 16 mins – Georgia try: Gagui Margvelashvili – 8-5; conversion: Luka Takaishvili – 8-7; 23 mins – Ireland try: Henry Walker – 13-7; conversion: Tom Wood – 15-7; 30 mins – Georgia try: Giorgi Spanderashvili – 15-12; conversion: Luka Takaishvili – 15-14; 33 mins – Ireland penalty: Tom Wood – 18-14; 35 mins – Ireland yellow card: Alex Mullan; Georgia yellow card: Bachuki Baratashvili; 40 mins – Ireland penalty: missed by Tom Wood – 18-14; Half-time – Ireland 18 Georgia 14; 42 mins – Ireland try: Paidi Farrell – 23-14; conversion: missed by Tom Wood – 23-14; 50 mins – Georgia try: Giorgi Spanderashvili – 23-19; conversion: Luka Takaishvili – 23-21; 52 mins – Ireland try: Mahon Ronan – 28-21; conversion: Tom Wood – 30-21; 61 mins – Ireland try: Charlie Molony – 35-21; conversion: missed by Tom Wood = 35-21; 80 mins – Georgia try: Shota Kheladze – 35-26; conversion: Luka Takaishvili – 35-28; Full-time – Ireland 35 Georgia 28

IRELAND U-20: Charlie Molony (UCD RFC/Leinster); Paidi Farrell (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster), Clark Logan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster); Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Henry Walker (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Michael Foy (UCC RFC/Munster), Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) (capt), Luke Murphy (Young Munster RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for McCarthy (35-45 mins), Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster) for Bohan (46), Mikey Yarr (UCD RFC/Leinster) for Walker (46-49), McAllister for Mullan (50), Conor Kennelly (Highfield RFC/Munster) for Corrigan, Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for McCarthy (both 56), Will Wootton (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby) for Logan (57), Yarr for Walker (60), Daniel Green (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Farrell (64), Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for Smyth (66).

GEORGIA U-20: Luka Takaishvili (Khvamli Tbilisi); Luka Keshelava (RC Army Tbilisi), Data Akhvlediani (Lelo Saracens), Nugzari Kevkhishvili (Lelo Saracens), Tarieli Burtikashvili (RC Vepkhvebi); Gigi Sirbiladze (Lelo Saracens), Giorgi Spanderashvili (Black Lion); Bachuki Baratashvili (RC Batumi), Mikheil Khakhubia (Lelo Saracens), Mate Gurtskaia (Castres Olympique Espoirs), Temur Tsulukidze (Oyonnax Rugby Espoirs), Gagui Margvelashvili (Racing 92 Espors), Luka Narsia (AIA Kutaisi), Andro Dvali (USA Perpignan Espoirs) (capt), Mikheili Shioshvili (RC Toulonnais Espoirs).

Replacements used: Archil Nozadze (SU Agen) for Narsia (35-45 mins), Davit Baramia (RC Toulonnais Espoirs) for Tsulukidze (46), Giorgi Meskhidze (USA Perpignan Espoirs) for Gurtskaia, Shota Kheladze (Lelo Saracens) for Khakhubia (both 51), Nozadze for Baratashvili, Nikolozi Chkhortolia (Montpellier Espoirs) for Margvelashvili (both 56), Nika Abesadze (Lelo Saracens) for Narsia (62), Temuri Dzodzuashvili (AIA Kutaisi) for Spanderashvili (64), Sandro Meskhidze (RC Army Tbilisi) for Akhvlediani (68), Baratashvili for Nozadze (79).

Referee: Jérémy Rozier (FFR)